Civil War Fabrics

[jennisis]

Does anyone on my f-list have recommendations on choosing fabrics for an 1850's daywear dress? My specialty lies about 100 years earlier. :)

Comments

[coltsbane]

Lycra. Totally lycra. Lime green lycra.

[jennisis]

LOL

[earthgoat]

Email my buddy Will Eichler. steadiwill at earthlink dot net. He's seriously into the Civil War. Makes his own clothes, spins his own wool, etc. He can help.

[jennisis]

Will do. Thanks!

[koshka_the_cat]

http://www.reproductionfabrics.com/index.php?

Is a great source. Everything is organized by date, which is very helpful :)

[koshka_the_cat]

That is, of course, if you want a cotton dress. Other fabrics, silk taffetas, wools, remain pretty much the same as before!

[jennisis]

Cottons are great. I'm a little leery of choosing a print - I read somewhere that a multicolored calico was considered to be very lower class, and also that greens were a pretty hard to come by color due to the difficulty in making them colorfast/consistent at that time. Is this true?